Monrovia — As part of efforts to foster tax consciousness among Liberia's youth, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), in collaboration with the USAID-LEAD Activity and the Ministry of Education (MoE), host the country's first-ever National Students Tax Day (NSTD) on Thursday, November 21. Held under the theme "Moving to Billions: Celebrating Taxpayers' Impact," the event underscores the transformative power of tax education in building a prosperous and compliant society.
Lucia Welwolie, a 12th-grade student at Innovation Preparatory Academy International, set the tone for the event with an inspiring speech that traced the origins and purpose of NSTD. Addressing policymakers, students, and educators, she spotlighted the role of the Student Tax Education Program (STEP), a collaborative initiative launched in 2017 by the LRA, MoE, and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
"National Students Tax Day is a milestone in empowering us--the future leaders of Liberia--with the knowledge of taxation and its role in nation-building," Welwolie declared.
Welwolie outlined STEP's objectives, which include promoting voluntary tax compliance and integrating tax education into Liberia's national civic curriculum. She called on stakeholders to revisit a 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the LRA, MoE, and WAEC Liberia to ensure the program's full implementation across all secondary schools.
"Let us rally behind the call to recognize National Students Tax Day as an annual working holiday," she urged, advocating for its expansion to enhance awareness and significance.
Atty. Decontee T. King-Sackie, Managing Partner at ZE'AD Advisors and Consultants delivered the keynote address, linking tax education to sustainable economic development. Her speech, titled "How Tax Education Empowers Students to Become Tax-Compliant Citizens and Spur Economic Growth," emphasized how empowering students with tax knowledge fosters responsible citizenship.
"When students are empowered through tax education, they transition seamlessly into adulthood as tax-compliant citizens, contributing to a diversified economy," King-Sackie said.
Drawing from global examples, she highlighted how countries like Finland, India, and South Africa have successfully improved tax compliance and revenue generation through early education. She advocated for Liberia to adopt similar strategies, including integrating tax lessons into school curricula and leveraging technology for engagement.
"Tax education does more than create compliance," she added. "It nurtures informed, responsible citizens who fuel the engines of economic growth."
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George Akl, Chief of Party for the USAID-LEAD Activity, emphasized the societal importance of tax compliance. "Paying taxes is not just a legal obligation; it is a fundamental civic duty," Akl stated. "It reflects your commitment to the common good and strengthens the social contract that unites us all."
The event also provided a platform for dialogue among students, educators, and government officials regarding the broader implications of tax education. Other partner institutions including the Ministry of Education, praised the initiative and committed to supporting and integrating tax education into Liberia's development agenda.
